As a long-haul cabin crew member based in London, I have followed Boeing's development of the 7E7 with interest.
From my perspective, one of the most valuable innovations must be the proposal to fit photochromatic window shades with central and individual controls. A perennial problem during the cruise is trying to balance the needs of the passenger who wants, for example, to admire the spectacle of the view of the Greenland coastline with that of one who doesn't want valuable sleep disturbed by the inevitable glare from an open window blind at cruising altitude.
Another idea would be to include the ability to override individual control of the reading light in the cabin control unit. Passengers often fall asleep with their reading lights on and their arms over the controls, so the light cannot be switched off without disturbing them.
George Biswas Virginia Water, Surrey, UK
Source: Flight International
